HeavyDluxe Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 Ok... quick question. My goal is to outfit two more 'improved' combos for myself this year... First, an ultralight for panfishing with the kids or hitting streams for trout, and second a MH-H combo for pitching into heavier cover. My main rig this year was a M Pflueger President combo. The local tackle store strongly recommended the BPS Graphite Series rods (which they resell), but it looks like a lot of people on here prefer the Berkley Lightning rods which are the same price. Help me flip the coin. I'd buy nicer stuff, but I've blown the yearly budget on a fishing kayak and some of those evil black rifles... Quote
bmlum415 Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 The cabelas pro guide rods are pretty sensitive, I've had mine for years Quote
central.PA.bass Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 Just go to walnuts and buy the cheapest ultralight Shakespeare you can find and step it up a little and get a little bit better rod for bassin Quote
Fishin24/7 Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 Yeah don't worry much about the ultra light combos just buy a couple cheap ones. You didn't state your budget but the diawa arid rods are very nice $60 I think and also the abu Garcia vendetta is sweet at $80. Quote
HeavyDluxe Posted January 18, 2013 Author Posted January 18, 2013 FWIW, I actually want a halfway decent UL for troutin'. When fishing in the spring thaw streams, sensitivity matters (at least I think it does). Quote
Jake P Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 I have 3 BPS Graphite rods that I love. I feel jigs just fine with them and never have a problem with backbone. I will buy more when I need another budget rod. For what its worth I really dont put much stock into rod sensitivity. I know I am WAY in the minority on this but its just my personal opinion. I feel like lures and presentation play a much more important role than a 50$ rod vs a 150$ rod. Reels are another story. I feel you should buy the best you can. Thats another answer for another topic though. Buy either and you will be satisfied. Personally I would go with the BPS. Quote
The one that got away Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 I've had an older BPS Graphite Series in my basement for a few years, it came as part of a combo that I bought a ways back. It is a medium power and supposedly a fast action, but it's a lot closer to moderate than fast. Might make a decent cranking stick, but from what I remember it wasn't very sensitive so I'd probably look elsewhere if sensitivity and/or fast action are the qualities you're looking for. I also have a really old MH 6' Berkeley Lightning spinning rod, it's got to be 15 years old and hasn't seen water in probably 10 years. It was a decent rod, just a bit short and I now prefer MH casting rods, not spinning. Between those two, I'd go with the Berkeley. My only trout rod is a St. Croix Triumph 6' light power spinning rod and it is perfect for its use - gets the job done just fine and didn't break the bank. If I were you, I'd get one rod that you really like instead of two combos that you'll probably want to upgrade soon anyway. In other words, get a nice trout rod because spring is around the corner, and deal with the MH rod down the road. Good luck with whatever you decide. Quote
Jay Ell Gee Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 Can't help much on the UL gear, as all of my "UL" style fishing is done with a fly rod. A 3/4 weight would be plenty of fun on a trout, and quite a ball on big bluegill. It's quite a blast, and you can get a beginner setup for a decent price if you hunt down deals. Just a thought. You wouldn't have the worst experience on a Lightning rod, they will serve you well. If you could put just a little more coin together, a Powell Diesel 7'2 MH/XF would make a great flipping rod for all but the heaviest of uses, and is only about twenty dollars more, but more than twice the rod. No warranty though, so you would have to use your head when freeing snags, etc. I flip mine and even throw frogs on it. It's an excellent rod for the money. Heck, it even has free shipping from tackle warehouse. Quote
bassh8er Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 I have 3 BPS Graphite rods that I love. I feel jigs just fine with them and never have a problem with backbone. I will buy more when I need another budget rod. For what its worth I really dont put much stock into rod sensitivity. I know I am WAY in the minority on this but its just my personal opinion. I feel like lures and presentation play a much more important role than a 50$ rod vs a 150$ rod. Reels are another story. I feel you should buy the best you can. Thats another answer for another topic though. Buy either and you will be satisfied. Personally I would go with the BPS. Funny you say that, and I suppose it's what you get from an Internet forum, but I cannot disagree more. If I had $100 to spend in a combo, I would do 70/30 on rod versus reel. I used to work at BPS and think that the graphite series was junk. At any rate, there re obviously people that like the series, so I'm sure you could find success with them. I'd wait until the classic to find great deals with the rod and reel trade in, but think you could find a great deal ona Pro Qualifier reel and a Bionic series rod. Good luck. Quote
Hanover_Yakker Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 There are plenty of rods in the $50-100 price range. At BPS alone, you can choose from..... Shimano: Sellus, Convergeance & Clarus Daiwa: Aird, Procyon, TD (blue) and the new TD (red) Abu: Vendetta & Vengeance St. Croix: Triumph, Premier and Mojo Bass Browning: Citori and Medallion It all comes down to how your given reel feels on the various choices. You'll never know unless you take your reel with you or at least carry the rods you might like up to the reel counter to test their feel with a reel mounted on the rod. Anything else you do outside of actually putting a reel on the rod is just shooting blindly and hoping. You could find a rod that is very sensitive, at the price point you want and feels good in your hands. Then make it all the way home only to find out that the reel doesn't seat properly or the balance of the combo is way off. Don't be afraid to venture into your local mom and pop tackle shop either. Often times they have better deals on the previous year's models of the same rods. I just bought a 6'6" MH/XF Daiwa Procyon (previous version) at a steal for $44 just the other day from a trusted tackle shop in my area. Be patient and do your homework. 1 Quote
HeavyDluxe Posted January 18, 2013 Author Posted January 18, 2013 Can't help much on the UL gear, as all of my "UL" style fishing is done with a fly rod. A 3/4 weight would be plenty of fun on a trout, and quite a ball on big bluegill. It's quite a blast, and you can get a beginner setup for a decent price if you hunt down deals. Just a thought. The *last* thing I need is another obsession, so I am steering as far away from fly fishing as possible. For now. Quote
Jake P Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 Funny you say that, and I suppose it's what you get from an Internet forum, but I cannot disagree more. If I had $100 to spend in a combo, I would do 70/30 on rod versus reel. I used to work at BPS and think that the graphite series was junk. At any rate, there re obviously people that like the series, so I'm sure you could find success with them. I'd wait until the classic to find great deals with the rod and reel trade in, but think you could find a great deal ona Pro Qualifier reel and a Bionic series rod. Good luck. Just as confident with my bps graphite/ PQ as I am with my crucial/ citica. To each their own. I would also be wiling to bet more people would invest in a reel over rod if funds were limited when buying a combo. As long as your catching, I doubt the fish care what its with. Tight lines! Quote
Super User new2BC4bass Posted January 18, 2013 Super User Posted January 18, 2013 The *last* thing I need is another obsession, so I am steering as far away from fly fishing as possible. For now. X2. It isn't just the cost of the rod, reel and line. Doesn't take long for the cost of flies to start mounting up. Lots of people prefer to tie their own. Another expensive hobby. Fur and feathers don't seem to hold up as well over the long haul as wood and plastic. When it comes to rods it is the same as for bass fishing......the more the merrier....and can cost a lot more than a bass rod. Not that you can't also spend a ton of money on bass rods if you want to! Quote
JunkYard814 Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 Berkley Amp here. I couldn't believe how sensitive the rod was for only like $30 bucks. Quote
Jake P Posted January 18, 2013 Posted January 18, 2013 Berkley Amp here. I couldn't believe how sensitive the rod was for only like $30 bucks. I use the L amp for crappie fishing in creeks. For a 25$ rod I love it!! Quote
HeavyDluxe Posted January 18, 2013 Author Posted January 18, 2013 Doesn't take long for the cost of flies to start mounting up. Lots of people prefer to tie their own. Yeah, that's kinda my point... I tend to be a little OC once I get interested in something. I shudder to think how much money I spent on fishing (between books, time spend on the internet, time spent on the water, and gear) last year. I loved it, but it was a little over the top. If I was to get into fly fishing, it would be a whole new descent into madness. "Hmmm, let's really study the lifecycle of the mayfly. You know, I think I would like to tie my own flies. Hmmm, I wonder if this kinda feather would be more realistic than the other..." One thing I learned last year is that, in my opinion, there's a diminishing return on equipment. That isn't to say that a $200 rod isn't better than a $30 one. I do feel, however, that the difference is such that most people fishing most applications won't derive massive benefits from the equipment upgrade. For example, I still fish mono because, well, I'm on a budget, I'm naturally a bit of a cheapskate anyway, and because I think that it's still completely adequate for most presentations/uses. Best? No. Adequate? Yep. To each their own. I would also be wiling to bet more people would invest in a reel over rod if funds were limited when buying a combo. You know, that's so true - even though I would generally agree that the rod (since it and the line are the instruments through which you interface with the bait and any strikes) is more important. My best guess as to why is that it's so easy to feel and appreciate the difference between different reels in the store. For example, I could easily 'feel' the difference between the President reel I bought last season and other comparably-priced reels from other manufacturers. Discerning the way a rod will 'benefit' you - aside from immediate weight and balance - is a little more vague, in my experience. Quote
Dave P Posted January 19, 2013 Posted January 19, 2013 You can't go wrong either way, to be honest. The BPS stick has more guides IIRC. Both are surprisingly sensitive for the price. Quote
central.PA.bass Posted January 19, 2013 Posted January 19, 2013 IMO sensitivity does not matter at all when you are trout fishing in a stream with a little 5' ultralight... If you are holding your line in one hand and holding the rod in the other the only thing between you and the fish is your line... All the sensitivity should come from that.. Put some 2-4# flouro and it doesn't get much more sensitive than that for trout Quote
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